Iran’s top security official mocks Haley nontechnical missile claim

FNA- Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani lashed out at US Envoy to the UN Nikki Haley for her “ridiculous” and nontechnical allegations on the supply of Iranian missiles to Yemen.

“The US envoy’s comments were a very weak and ridiculous show and they even lacked technical backup,” Shamkhani told reporters in the Western city of Sanandaj on Monday.

He stressed that Haley failed to present corroborative proof to substantiate her allegations. The security official said Iran would never be shy of acknowledging support for nations if it embarks on doing so.

“If Iran makes a move, it declares it clearly and with no ambiguity,” he said.

Meantime, Shamkhani said that Sana’a streets are filled with pieces of evidence and proofs on the US crimes in the country as Washington has supplied Saudi Arabia with cluster bombs used against the Yemeni people.

“Today, the Yemeni people are under siege and bombing and all these acts are taken with the US backup, collaboration and support for Saudi Arabia,” he said.

His remarks came after Haley showed what she claimed to be parts of missiles launched on Saudi Arabia, accusing Iran of providing Yemen army with missiles.

After allegations on the delivery of Iran’s ballistic missiles and its components or technology to Yemen, the UN examined the debris of missiles fired to Saudi Arabia on July 22 and November 4, 2017. The world body has so far achieved no absolute results on the fired missile, Sputnik reported.

In relevant remarks on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that the US raises baseless allegations against Iran by showing a piece of metal.

“The US claims are aimed at covering up its presence in the region and actions which can be mainly regarded as war crimes,” he added.

The Iranian foreign minister said that Haley had no evidence to support her claims, adding, “One of the objectives behind these remarks was to divert attention from Trump’s decision to relocate US embassy from Tel Aviv to Holy Quds.”

He said that the claims are being made by a government that provides Saudi Arabia with cluster bombs which has killed children and elderly in Yemen.

Zarif announced on Sunday that Iran is determined to file a complaint against the baseless claims of US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley.

“Iran will send its letter of complaint to the United Nations,” Zarif wrote in an email to Russian News Agency Sputnik.

Also, Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier General Amir Hatami said on Monday that Washington is required to deliver to Tehran a part of the debris of the missile that the US claims was Iran-made and fired by the Yemenis at Saudi Arabia to enable verification of the claim by Iran.

“The technical bodies of the Islamic Republic’s defense sector have compiled a complaint at the UN to request transparency,” General Hatami said.

“The enemies of the Islamic Republic may raise any kind of allegation, but once the complaint is filed, a piece of the missile should be delivered to Iran at the request of the Islamic Republic,” he added.

General Hatami said Iran will soon compile the complaint in the format of a request at the UN.